


A Prince's Guide to Becoming the Perfect Heir

by kaientai



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Historical, Comedy, M/M, One-Sided Attraction, Sort Of
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-03
Updated: 2017-12-10
Packaged: 2019-02-08 10:10:58
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,498
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12862335
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kaientai/pseuds/kaientai
Summary: In which Oikawa Tooru falls short of the things expected of him.





	1. 一 He must be well-versed with the laws of his country

**Author's Note:**

> Bakufu = the military government of Japan between 1192 and 1868  
> Wakizashi = companion sword of a katana  
> Ouji = prince  
> Daishō = the matched pair of swords including the wakizashi and katana  
> Buke Shohatto = the laws for the military houses

Oikawa was never proficient in the art of being subtle. More often than not, Kuroo would always catch him staring at him, before Oikawa could even lose himself to his candid fantasies. (Perhaps the the fact that he was an adept assassin working for the Bakufu does his heightened observation skills some justice.) Today, the same thing happens, but this time, the young prince did not even mean to ogle his guard. As Oikawa was seated by the gardens of the palace, his mind spiralled down into bemused daydreaming, and for some reason, his eyes trained themselves at Kuroo, who was swinging away at his  _wakizashi_ as a form of exercise. Apparently, Oikawa failed to retract his gaze on time and had to suffer the experience of Kuroo lightly bumping the hilt of his shortsword onto the prince's forehead, snapping him out of his reverie. 

"My lord, your eyes are not where they should be," said Kuroo, disguising his boorish words with a facade of courtesy. "Stare at me more than humanly possible and the most promising assassin of the century might just melt into a puddle."

Of course, Oikawa did what he always does whenever Kuroo catches him redhanded. "Y-You're hallucinating."

A laid-back chuckle fled his lips, as he sheathed the _wakizashi_ in his hand. "Of course I am, my lord."

" _Ouji-sama._ "

Oikawa blinks, dropping his brush in the process. His father's advisor, who also doubles as his tutor, Sugawara, dons a look laced with waning patience. "You may not be dozing in our lessons like your sister does, but you do have a penchant for woolgathering. Do know that this kind of behavior is very unbecoming of the emperor's heir."

An impish grin plays at his lips, as he lets out a nervous-sounding laugh. "S-Sensei, I was simply thinking of the beautiful flowers that one of my...consorts gifted me yesterday. What were they again? I could have sworn they were called puppies..."

"You mean _poppies_ , my lord?" Sugawara corrects with a sigh. 

The prince snaps his fingers at a show of abrupt realization. "Poppies! Do let everyone know that I absolutely adore them."

"Duly noted. Now, would you please reiterate to me what the first article of the _buke shohatto_ is?"

Sugawara showcases a rather expectant look and Oikawa begins mentally apologizing in advance to his teacher for being such a lousy student. Lately, he hasn't had the time to hit the books that Sugawara shoved into his hands since he was...watching a certain samurai that he's very fascinated with. No, he is not some sort of stalker. A prince should never be referred to as such. He simply delights in witnessing Kuroo annihilate his upperclassmen and underclassmen alike in sword-fighting practice. 

"Err... I believe it has something to do with...the feudal lords not being allowed to host private marriages?" He hopelessly clings to the wild guess he shoots at his teacher.

With a tired exhale, Sugawara shakes his head. "My lord, that is stated within the eighth article. The exact words of the first article are: _The samurai class should devote itself to pursuits appropriate to the warrior aristocracy, such as archery, swordsmanship, horsemanship, and classical literature._ "

He gapes. "The chances of me committing all those words to mind are near impossible, sensei!"

"Your father knows the _buke shohatto_ like the back of his hand, _ouji_ -sama."

"So?"

Sugawara brings his palm down on the table Oikawa was previously writing on, making the liquid in the jar of iron gall ink slosh dangerously. 

" _Ouji_ -sama," Sugawara growls intimidatingly. "I am well aware of the fact that your prowess in wielding a  _daishō_  is unparalleled. However, an emperor that knows how to brandish his weapons is nothing if he does not know about the laws of his own land."

Trembling in absolute terror, Oikawa tries to compensate with some empty flattery. "O-Of course, sensei! Besides, I will be able to do as such since I have such a wonderful teacher!"

The hard lines on Sugawara's face lose their tension for a sliver of a moment, but that's until he readjusts his mask of fury. "Cajolery will not save you, my lord."

That morning, a scream is heard resonating throughout the palace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I honestly do not know where my heart lies - iwaoi or oikuroo. But damn man I saw this piece of art somewhere on twitter featuring kuroo and oikawa wearing traditional korean wear. Obviously, this isn't a fic about korean history, but I was heavily inspired by that art, which I can no longer find, sadly, so here we have our two dorky captains in a historical japan setting. Since I am also an avid watcher of Gintama, the setting really seemed nice to me. Anyway, this is going to be a five-part story in which Oikawa traverses his road to kingship (or is it emperorship?) and his budding feelings for the raven-haired samurai at his beck and call. Comments, kudos, and anything of the like are highly appreciated!~
> 
>  
> 
> ~~This is my first time writing for an actual Haikyuu! pair so please bear with me.~~


	2. 二 He must be able to wield his weapons with expertise

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Danna = boss or master

"You wish to tell me," Kuroo says as he tries to stifle his laughter. "Sugawara-san smacked you in the face with a paper fan and you cried?"

"Do not say it as if I am some sort of featherweight," Oikawa squawks like an angered rooster flailing his wings. "He used that one fan with the wood made from the trunk of a hundred year-old tree of mahogany!"

The mocking grin does not leave Kuroo's face. "There are no mahogany trees in Japan, my lord. Sugawara-san must have fabricated that. "

"Isn't the barter system in play now? That man has an awful lot of things stacked away in his inventory. He could have gotten that fan anywhere!"

"Good morning, as well, you louts."

The two boys scramble to their feet upon hearing that apathetic voice. Ukai Keishin may be blasé for the most part, but he is known to be utterly merciless during lessons. Oikawa knows this too well.

Today, he is still wearing that tangerine yukata as if it is the only article of clothing he owned. Slinging a wooden sword across his shoulder, he sizes the two of them up. Ukai might have come off as more intimidating if it weren't for the piece of wheat sticking out of his mouth. 

" _Ouji_ , you've been eating too much of that milk bread of yours, were you not?" The man theorizes, and apparently, he's correct. "Your arms have gone flabby."

"They are not!" 

Kuroo snorts at the high pitch of Oikawa's denial. "That's what you get for always feigning sickness to avoid physical training, my lord."

Ukai arches a brow. "Oh? The heir of the emperor is lying just so he can spend a few more hours in his bedchambers? How revolting."

"Would you please just carry on with the lesson, sensei?" The prince groans. "The two of you are conspiring against me, I swear it to the seven gods."

Their teacher spares them a lopsided smile. "All right, then. Today's activity is simple: get any of your swords to touch me, then you get passing marks."

"Eh? _Danna_ , I'm in the assassination corps. Why should I partake in this...child's play?" Kuroo complains, but before he could say any more, Ukai's timbered sword is suddenly centimeters away from his face. 

"Look, child," Ukai begins. "Regardless of who you are or what you've been through, there is always room for learning. Even an old geezer such as myself can still learn from children. So pipe down and strategize with _ouji_ over there." There's a prolonged pause in his words. "You of all people should know that reaching me with a sword is a more daunting task than it sounds, Tetsurou."

Oikawa casts his guard a sideways glance, only to see the color slowly drain from his face. He has known that Ukai is the commander of the assassination corps, but just what exactly does he do to his men? This is one of the few times Oikawa gets to witness that self-satisfied smirk get wiped off Kuroo's face. 

When that's over, Ukai treads towards the corner of the room and dozes off without another thought. Still a bit shaken, Kuroo walks closer to Oikawa and beckons him to sit together on the polished floor. The prince complies, no questions asked.

"Here's what I know about _d_ _anna,_ " Kuroo discloses with a trembling voice. "Oftentimes, he always makes his enemies think that he's full of openings, just like what he's doing right now." He jabs a thumb at the sleeping teacher. "But whether or not he's faking his slumber, once you get close enough for him to sense you, you are a dead man if you don't know any countermeasures."

Oikawa takes in everything Kuroo is imparting to him because, even if Ukai has been his sword-fighting teacher for as long as he can remember, not once did he make the prince turn his sword against him. Most of the time, he'd bring sparring partners from the assassination corps for Oikawa to duel with. What's worse is that Oikawa is not a very observant person, so whenever Ukai demonstrated a technique or stance, Oikawa would only remember how to do it - not how _he_ would do it. When it comes to his teacher's dexterity with weapons, he is entirely clueless.

" _Danna_ has a blind sight to his right. I don't know why, but in the rare times I manage to catch him off guard, it's _always_ from the right." Kuroo unsheathes the katana from his waist. "You are more confident with wielding your _wakizashi._ Am I correct, my lord?"

Oikawa's eyes drift down to the daishō strapped to his waist. It's the same daishō that his grandfather had used to rise to power all those decades ago. However, where his grandfather excelled in handling a longsword, his grandson is more inclined to wield a shortsword. These weapons are said to be an extension of a samurai's arm, but Oikawa feels more complacent with the short range provided by the _wakizashi_. Somehow, it makes him feel more in control.

The prince nods and for a while, Kuroo has gone silent. Calculation settles on his feline eyes, as he devised how to take Ukai by surprise. Oikawa waits patiently before a spark of cognisance shines on Kuroo's face.

He lowers his voice into a whisper. "You're pretty good at throwing things with accuracy as well, are you not?"

Oikawa raises an eyebrow. "Well, I did a fair share of archery in my childhood, so yes?"

"Okay. Do you see that stain on the wall just a meager amount above  _d_ _anna's_  head, my lord?"

The prince quints his eyes and stares at where Kuroo was pertaining to. On the resplendent wallpaper of the training room lies a blemish that isn't too conspicuous, but it's there. 

"Act as if that stain is a bullseye," Kuroo instructs while placing a hand on Oikawa's shoulder and pointing at the said stain. "Make sure not to let the blade hurt any hair on his head, or else _I'll_ lose every hair on _my_ head."

"Huh? Why would they pass judgement on you if I was the one who threw the blade?"

Kuroo rolls his eyes. "Since it is my idea, my lord. Besides, a million Ukai's would have to be punished first before they could punish the prince."

Oikawa stares at him. "That is somewhat a confusing analogy, but what happens next if I successfully carry out the deed?"

"Leave the rest to me," Kuroo assures. 

Putting all of his faith in his guard, Oikawa proceeds to unsheathe the _wakizashi_ from the scabbard on his waist. The blade feels heavier in his hand than he remembered, but he's convinced that, though it is not as light as an arrow, he can still throw it with precision. He lifts the _wakizashi_ above his head and pulls back his arm, calculating the height and force that should go with his throw. When he's confident with the conditions he's set, he lets the blade fly... Only for - thankfully - the blunt edge to land harmlessly on Ukai's lap.

Oikawa stares at his blunder for what feels like an hour, until Kuroo places a hand on his shoulder once more. He shoots his companion a glance, only to see his eyes glistening in the light. He's about to ask why he's in tears, until Ukai rouses from his deep sleep. Upon seeing the shortsword on his lap, he throws his head back in ribbing laughter. 

"You lot are full of surprises, I say," he takes Oikawa's _wakizashi_ and gets up to walk back to the two of them. He hands the sword back to its rightful owner. "Being cunning is part of being an effective samurai. Under Tetsurou's influence, I believed that he would have instructed you to throw that blade above my head. While taking advantage of my 'surprise', he would come for me from my blind side to shove that katana down my throat. It seems that I have thought wrong. Well done, you two."

Oikawa stares at Kuroo with narrowed eyes, but the other boy simply avoids his gaze as a sheen of sweat gathers on his brow. 

"Technically...The sword touched him," Kuroo laughs nervously.

"You're an idiot!"


	3. 三 He must be meticulous in selecting his lifetime partner

"Marriage?" The words spill from Oikawa's lips like a profanity. 

Sugawara nods. "You are of age, _ouji_ -sama. Your father believes it is high time for you to seek out the perfect bride."

The moment the word _bride_ is spoken, Oikawa has to restrain himself from laughing. Up until now, he is entirely mystified with the fact that he no longer finds women as endearing as he used to. Of course, there were various nobles' daughters and princesses with whom he got deeply involved with, but those were at the height of his juvenile years. Right now, he's teetering precariously on the tightrope of youth, moments just before he falls into the pit that is gruelling adulthood. He only ever talked about marriage with his late mother, and that alone seemed like a lifetime ago.

"Tooru, you have to swear something to me. Swear it on your life and the name of the Oikawa clan," his mother pleaded with each bated breath she had left in her deteriorating lungs. 

A seven year-old Oikawa grasped his mother's frail hands in his own. "Anything, mother. I will do anything for you." He also wanted to say, _just do not leave me_ , but that would be terribly selfish of him. His mother was at the peak of her years and even at his young age, he knew better than to stretch something farther than it's supposed to. 

She put on a warm smile for him, even if he knew that the slightest movement burned away at her facial muscles. "I wish for you to swear that you will only wed someone truly dear to you - not just a person who makes your heart race as if there were a thousand horses galloping in your veins or someone your father has picked out for you. No, I wish for you to spend your entire life with someone whom you can trust with all of your heart. Someone who acknowledges that you are not perfect but is able to look past every single one of your flaws. When you find that person, I wish for you to come to me."

Sugawara lays a bounded scroll in front of Oikawa. The prince looks at the royal advisor to see if he's going to offer up an explanation for the piece of paper he just gave, but it seems as if he wishes for the prince to find out its contents, himself. So, he retrieves the scroll from the table, undoes the string holding it in place, and unfurls the parchment. Inside is a list of names with corresponding faces expertly drawn next to them. A vague description of each female on the list is presented underneath their names. Some names are familiar; others aren't, but regardless, Oikawa cannot bring himself to shed the slightest bit of interest. He is not particularly concerned with any female (besides his mother and sister) for two reasons: the first being the subject of marriage being a little ways off for him, and the second...

"My loooord," a haughty voice drawls out from outside Oikawa's bedchambers. "His royal Highness requires your preseeeeence!"

"That blasted samurai vermin," Sugawara mutters under his breath, before raising the volume of his voice. " _Ouji_ -sama is in the middle of an important affair, Kuroo-san."

Despite Sugawara's words, the doors to the room slide open, revealing Kuroo Tetsurou in his yukata-clad glory. "You wouldn't want the emperor to think that you are not making his wishes a first priority, right advisor-san?"

Sugawara's eye twitches, obviously not enjoying his authority being tested. But regardless, he is polite when he says, "Very well. My lord, you may continue choosing from any of these candidates later."

Oikawa bows before striding out of the room with Kuroo. He doesn't say anything for a while, as he leads the two of them around the winding hallways of the palace, but when this goes on for about five minutes, Oikawa realizes that his guard was bluffing.

"So, pray tell, why did you bust me out of that situation? It is not that I am not grateful - I am severely so - but why...?" 

Kuroo halts his tracks and looks back at Oikawa. "I'm your guard, my lord - the person that's been beside you for at least half of your life. Being around you for that long only warranted a sense of what you liked and didn't. Naturally, when I heard from some of the maids that you were being ensnared by a certain advisor, it was my duty to get you out of the situation as quickly as possible."

"Ogling the maids again, Kuroo?" The words come out before Oikawa spares it a second thought. 

He shrugs. "The palace does employ the prettiest of helpers. But do not feel any semblance of envy, my lord, for my eyes are only fixated on your divine being."

Oikawa is painfully aware of the fact that Kuroo is ridiculously good with his words. Being a ladykiller (is Oikawa a lady now?) is part of his natural-born arsenal, it seems. 

"Father wants me to get married," he blurts out.

A hint of what Oikawa wishes to presume as indignation shadows his features for a moment, but Kuroo's contempt smirk materializes in a flash. "I reckon that a castle-full of females would kill just to become the prince's wife, will they not?"

"Yes," Oikawa agrees. "Perhaps, they would commit mass genocide that makes the war pale in comparison just to be the wife of the prince. However, would anybody really take just me, Oikawa Tooru, as a husband?"

The guard considers his words. "Hmm... As someone who's closely observed you for years, I admit that you do have a tendency to be...rash, at times."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"I am saying that you are impulsive, reckless, incompetent-" Kuroo begins to count off each insult on his fingers. "-irrational, forgetful, immature at times, naïve, thick-headed, stupid - "

"I only asked what you meant. I did not wish for you to write a whole book of scorn about me!" Oikawa interrupts, rather irked. That was supposed to be the leeway for Kuroo to say things like, "But, my lord, you are wonderful, exquisite, one-of-a-kind!" yet he wasted the chance. Instead, he chose to take advantage of the moment by slapping the cold, hard truth in the prince's face. 

Kuroo eyes him, confused. "You say it as if being all sorts of those things is a bad thing, my lord. But the truth is, being all these only proves that you can still make progress. It only means that you can still _evolve_." A grin materializes on the dig of his mouth and it's brighter than the sun. "I believe that potential alone can make one consider you a befitting spouse."

Silence encompasses the two of them, and the only thing that's ringing in Oikawa's ears are the wind breezing by, the sound of a far-away wind chime, and the admiration in Kuroo's tone. 

When his guard resumes his pacing, Oikawa follows for the next few minutes, until he excuses himself.

"Where are you off to, my lord?" Kuroo inquires with raised brows. 

"I am just going to have a word with someone dear to me," Oikawa responds before turning to the opposite direction, making it clear for Kuroo not to follow him. 

Kuroo watches idly as the prince's form veers left into another hallway. With a shrug, he proceeds to look if he can grab some luncheon from the palace's kitchen.

 

* * *

 

The gate to the cemetery behind the palace creaks with age when Oikawa opens it. Before him are dozens upon dozens of gravestones of those of royal lineage who have long left this world. He closes the gate behind him, and proceeds to traverse the burial grounds.

It is eerily quiet. There is no birdsong pouring in his hears, nor a whisper of the wind. It is just him and the abundance of trees and graves of his ancestors. But fear is not creeping anywhere on his skin. Instead, Oikawa is filled with something akin to elation.

When he arrives to his destination, he kneels, lights up some incense sticks and offers his prayers for the gods to hear. It is only common courtesy and practice. Once he puts all preamble in place, he only whispers three words to his mother's tombstone, hoping that she is still listening to whatever her stupid son still wanted to tell her.

"I've found him."

 

* * *

 

When Oikawa comes back later in the afternoon, a samurai clad in armor greets him. Since his face is obscured, the prince initially thinks for it to be Kuroo playing some sort of joke on him, but when the warrior takes off his head gear, he is greeted by Ukai with a wound on his face that's bleeding through its bandages. 

Like him to his mother, Ukai imparts three words:

"He is gone."


	4. 四 He must be able to put the past behind him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kiseru = a japanese pipe  
> Kizami = the tobacco smoked with the kiseru  
> Shishi-odoshi = a japanese water fountain made from bamboo  
> Hime = princess  
> Yojimbo = bodyguard

In his quarters, Ukai pours Oikawa a cup of sweet-smelling jasmine, but the prince does not have the capacity to induce anything at the moment. Kuroo...is gone? The last he's seen of his guard was only about two hours ago. How much could have transpired in such a short timeframe? However, before he can voice out his inquiries, the commander stomps over to his desk and retrieves a _kiseru_ from one of the drawers. He rummages his pockets for a moment, mumbling incoherently to himself, before producing a straw pouch that contains what Oikawa presumes is _kizami_. He takes his time lighting up a smoke and Oikawa has enough patience to let the obviously shaken Ukai ease his nerves.

The prince grants himself the pleasure of scrutinizing the man in front of him. He replaced his bloodied armor with his usual wear and his bandages have been changed. The pristine wrap covers the upper right part of his head, completely obscuring his right eye. Though, some splotches of blood still stains his dyed hair. For a shred of a moment, Oikawa's mind wanders to how Ukai managed to tint his hair with such a bright color. But Oikawa suddenly recalls witnessing how severe the wound was, as the palace's medic, Shimizu cleansed it. Somehow, Oikawa has a hard time believing that it was inflicted by Kuroo, Ukai's most loyal student and soldier, himself. He's never seen so much blood, so deep a laceration, and so mutilated a face up close to this day. 

Ukai's lips kiss the _kiseru_ before he speaks. "He went back to his father's side, it seems."

The surface breaks on the tea in Oikwa's hands. Stiff fingers grip the ceramic cup with more tension and a horrible sense of foreboding strikes him like an arrow to the heart. He does not know much about the Kuroo clan - only that most of its members have been erased from the records of history - but hearing Kuroo Tetsurou, his most trusted ally, his _best friend_ , returning to what he has previously turned his back on all those years ago concerns the prince quite dreadfully. 

"First and foremost," Ukai lowers his head. "I apologize for my lack of foresight, _ouji_. Had I only been more keen with the activities of the insurgents from the mountain regions, I might have predicted my soldier's treachery." 

Rather unused to the commander's sudden spectacle of respect, Oikawa shakes his head. "Sensei, I am not the emperor or the shogun. I may be the prince but I am still your stupid student. Pouring apologies to my ears is as effective as making me wield a crossbow."

Oikawa doesn't expect him to laugh, but he does and somehow it grants him a sense of complacence. Ukai knows damn well that the prince and a crossbow are not the most optimal combination. "Perhaps you are right..." 

Out of pure courtesy, Oikawa takes the first sip of his tea. The commander never really struck him as someone who makes god-tier tea, but his assumptions are proven wrong once the jasmine gushes down his throat. Deciding that the praise should be saved for later, he asks, "Before Kuroo joined the corps... Where did you find him, exactly?"

Ukai intakes another puff and his good eye follows the smoke rise to the ceiling. "In their village, of course." The way he says it suggests that Oikawa should have known this. "His father was not the kindest of men. He'd take and discard whatever he pleases, and that includes his son. Tetsurou was beaten half to death when I found him ten years ago. What's worse is that, the poor boy was so devoted to a father that treated him like cattle, he snarled when I offered him help - opting to choose death instead of letting the enemy heal him." 

The commander tilts his head back and gazes at the ceiling once more. His eyes seem rather far-off. With nothing but the sound of the _shishi-odoshi_ outside ringing in his ears, Oikawa nervously fumbles with the hem of his yukata. He remembers perfectly clearly the day a boy with the darkest hair he's ever seen walk into the palace gardens. He was tailing the still dark-haired commander at a respectful distance, eyes harboring obvious disinterest with being inside the palace, like he already bore witness to its grandiose interior multiple times. Oikawa was hiding behind his older sister's back, feeble hands clutching at the material of her dress. Eight year-old Oikawa was not very fond of Commander Ukai's presence and the fact that he brought along a boy he's never seen before put him on edge more than he already was.

" _Hime_ , this is Kuroo Tetsurou, the newest member of the assassination corps," Ukai informed when they get close to the siblings, gesturing vaguely at the boy. Up close, Oikawa was able to study the stranger and from this distance, he could see the healing wounds that mottled his face as clear as day. 

"Kuroo?" his sister echoed. "You don't mean-"

"I assure you that his loyalties lie with the throne," The commander interrupted. "I have personally molded him to be a weapon to be used by the Bakufu at will for the past year. His Highness also requested a _yojimbo_ for his son. I strongly believe that Tetsurou is the perfect candidate, _hime_."

His sister perused the young assassin, but he returned her scrutiny with lackadaisical behavior, as if already accustomed to the arbitrary stares of those who have heard of his clan's name and the deeds they have done. When this went on longer than necessary, Kuroo clicked his tongue in annoyance. 

"I do not care whether or not you find me a suitable guard for your little brother, for you are not the person I will be devoting my life to," he snarled. Ukai shot him a warning glance. Oikawa expected him to shrug it off, but Kuroo lowered his head and mumbled a half-hearted apology. 

He looked up at his sister and instead of an offended grimace, a warm smile was painted on the dig of her mouth. "I may hold some skepticism regarding your...heritage, but a Kuroo might just be what my stupid little brother needs. I trust that you will be able to put him in his place. Tooru has been an undeniable pain ever since mother passed."

From the look on the other boy's face, Oikawa could tell that he was just as surprised with his sister's acceptance as he was. However, Kuroo shook his head and placed back his mask of indifference. "Hmph."

His sister nudged him. "Go on. Introduce yourself, Tooru."

Hesitantly, he stepped forward and held out his hand. "I-I am Oikawa Tooru. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Kuroo-san."

The assassin stared at his outstretched hand for a moment, then at him. The look on his cat-like eyes held the tiniest speck of wonder. "Huh. I would have expected the pretentious royalty to introduce themselves with their titles. You surprise me, my lord."

Oikawa did not quite understand what the word _pretentious_ meant, but  he deduced that it meant nothing good. (How can another eight year-old be so fluent with words?) It also didn't escape his notice that Kuroo already referred to him as his lord. 

Commander Ukai smiled. "Now that everything has been arranged, we must be off. Tetsurou's footwork in a sword-fight is still a ways away from perfection."

Kuroo huffed. " _Danna_ , you need not exploit my incompetence to my masters."

"What are you saying, child?" He patted the boy's hair. "You should not give your employers an illusory perception of your capabilities. You are weak? Let them know that you are weak. It is only just to remain genuine to the people you work for."

The boy rolled his eyes. "There you go again with all those fancy words of yours. Can we just go, _danna_?"

Ukai chuckled before bidding his farewells to the royal siblings. However, before they depart, Kuroo told the prince, "I look forward to protecting you, my lord."

"Oi."

When the prince snaps out of it, Ukai's hair is no longer the glorious dark mane that it was a decade ago. His hair was the color of a faded chrysanthemum blossom and the days when the commander's sharp eyesight was revered have come to an end. The last of his _kizami_ have been consumed and he looked more at peace than he was minutes ago.

"Where is he?" Oikawa's voice comes out in a hushed whisper.

Ukai eyes him in a way that suggests that he knows exactly what the prince is plotting. "If I told you, what would you do with the information, o _uji_? _"_

The prince stands up rather abruptly, corrosive rage beginning to boil underneath his skin. 

"I am going to make him remember who he swore his life to."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So um, turns out, this is going to be longer than 5 chapters. Im not quite sure of the final count yet, but it definitely won't exceed ten. Thanks for stopping by! Comments, kudos and anything of the like are highly appreciated!
> 
> Side note:  
> I've come across sooooooo many filipinos on ao3 and god forbid i am too shy to approach them and be like "yoooo I'm filipino too holla" so if you're a filipino, like myself, hi.


	5. 五 He must be proficient in the art of negotiation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ezo is what the Edo-period Japanese used to call what is now known as Hokkaido. And Sapporo, the largest city in Hokkaido, used to be referred to as the Ishikari Plain. Back then, it wasn't part of Japan but the country still negotiated some trades with Ezo, since the Ainu people, the natives of Ezo, are reliant on what Japan could provide them. I didn't really read about this thoroughly, but I do recall coming across the fact that some of the Ainus fell prey to a smallpox outbreak somewhere along the line. Another bonus bit -it's not really relevant to the story but it's interesting to know anyway too- when the Edo period ended, the Ainus were forced into slavery. After, Ezo was renamed "Hokkaido" by the Meiji government and officially made it a part of Japan in 1869.
> 
> Well, that's your daily dose of history. Happy reading~

Oikawa has never been to the mountainous region of Ezo that's north of Japan until today. He's only ever traversed it with what his imagination could conjure. His mother had told him stories of a white wolf and a goddess mating in order to create the first people of the faraway land - The Ainu people. They are an indigenous tribe that the emperor still has a hard time negotiating trades with. It never crossed the prince's mind that his feet would touch the foreign land of the Ainu when his father has never even been outside the borders of Japan in the entirety of his life.

Just like in the tales his mother imparted in the early years of his childhood, the temperature in Ezo is unforgivingly cold. He believes that he should thank the gods for gifting Commander Ukai with a generous amount of prudence. He ordered the prince to pack clothes with the thickest material. Had he been less cautious, Oikawa would have been frostbitten days ago. 

He sneaks a glance at his companion. Ukai is just as he was the last time Oikawa checked - padding through the snow in silence. However, Oikawa becomes more particular with the leather eyepatch he's wearing. Ukai was already intimidating to begin with, but the patch took it to a new level. However, he doesn't look as spiffy as he was in the start of their journey.

The lines of exhaustion are beginning to etch themselves on his face and it's no wonder Oikawa feels unnaturally drained of his energy. If the most tenacious man in Japan is already fatigued from a week of travel, what more the puny prince he's forced to look after, since his guard went rogue?

Once the idea pops into his mind, Oikawa shakes his head, as if the action can make him be rid of the thought of Kuroo for eternity. But he reminds himself that, though the feelings of betrayal and frustration have already seeped into Oikawa's bones, he is the reason why Ukai had to fabricate a lie just so they could go on this impromptu trip. The emperor did not seem fazed with his son's sudden interest in heading north, since he had been hopping all over the country with his sister whenever Sugawara wasn't badgering him with his education. However, the emperor did not deploy any of his retainers to accompany the duo to the barely explored land. It was a rather strange decision, but it only aided their purpose. The people within the palace are yet to know of Kuroo's treachery and Oikawa intends to keep it that way. 

"Stop," Ukai commands while putting out a protective hand in front of the prince. "Do you hear that?"

Oikawa strains his ears to find out what Ukai is talking about, but all he can pick up on is the gust of icy wind that makes breathing a rather difficult thing to do. "..I am afraid that I do not know what you are pertaining to, sensei."

His good eye narrows and he promptly grabs Oikawa's wrist and flings him into the bushes just by the side of the road like a rag doll. His face lands face-first into the shrubs and some of the needles even get into his mouth. When the prince is done sputtering, he tries to get on his feet, but he seems to have twisted his ankle. What luck! 

"Sensei, what was that fo-" Oikawa pauses mid-sentence upon hearing Ukai being engaged in conversation by unfamiliar voices.

"A foreigner!" an animated-sounding voice points out. "What are you doing in the middle of nowhere, foreigner-san? Got lost?"

"Bokuto-san. It is rude to come off so indecorous to strangers. Is that how the chief's son should behave?" another voice that has a more composed ring to it chides. 

The other person groans. "Akaashi, it is not like I asked to be the chief's son! Besides, you do not see foreigners in Ezo very often now. Not when that mysterious group from Japan suddenly invaded our shores a decade ago."

A pregnant silence passes over before the steady-voiced person speaks once more. "Sir, may we have the pleasure of finding out your identity?"

Oikawa guesses that Ukai will refuse to answer, but he does. "Keishin. I am a traveling merchant and I may have lost my way trying to find the Ishikari Plain."

"Oh, Ishikari, huh? Say, Akaashi, isn't that where those invaders are staying? Are you sure you're headed to the right place, foreigner-san?"

"Yes, of course. See, a friend of mine told me that the water from the river that touches the moon has healing properties. I would like to go see it for myself."

"Oh? Who is this friend of yours?" Akaashi's tone is beginning to ring dubiously. 

"His name is Tooru. He is simply having some trouble in the bushes over there. You can come out now!"

_Oh. This is an act. As expected of the commander!_

Oikawa struggles to his feet and trudges back to the path. In that moment, he reviews a week's worth of courtesy lessons from Sugawara and crams all he's learned in five seconds. Oikawa flashes a tender smile, despite the burning pain in his foot. "Hello~ My name is Oi- Tooru. I had a bad fall over there... Do forgive my late entrance." He even puts his hand together in a show of reparation. 

Now that he's out where he can see the two strangers, Oikawa notices that they don the thickest of fur-trimmed jackets and furriest of boots. The livelier one, Bokuto gasps in excitement. "Whoa! Another foreigner! Brown hair and brown eyes, too! Keishin's hair is blonde, so that must mean you men are from Europe!"

Akaashi rolls his eyes. "Bokuto-san, their names make it obvious that they are from Japan. Besides..." The other boy flashes Oikawa a paralyzing glare. "Who would not fail to recognize Japan's prince and the commander of their assassination corps?"

He feels his heart suddenly freeze over. For a moment, he feels rather flattered to actually be recognized in Ezo, but something about Akaashi's stare is making Oikawa think that sometimes being famous is a bad thing. 

Faster than he could blink, he can feel the cold metal of a dagger kissing his neck. Slender but strong arms are locked around his chest and the next thing he knows, Akaashi has him hostage. But apparently, Ukai shares the same kind of discernment and has Bokuto by the neck, as well - only his katana is far more frightening than a dagger.

"Hey..." Oikawa suddenly feels lightheaded. "Why don't we all talk about this peacefully?"

"What is the prince doing here? A mission, perhaps? Are you collaborating with the invaders in Ishikari? Do you wish to eradicate our kind and claim this land as your own?" Akaashi spits the words into Oikawa's face. Oikawa can feel the boy's rage pulsing behind his back and the dagger is beginning to dig into his skin. 

"O-Oi, Akaashi..." Bokuto's eyes glaze over with what Oikawa perceives as pity, not even the slightest bit concerned with being held at sword-point. 

"Bokuto-san, I know what you are thinking," Akaashi grumbles. "My clan has already been eradicated by those...those _aliens_. I will not let them capture Ezo, whatever it takes!"

From the trembling in his dagger hand to the sudden looseness of his grip, Oikawa can tell that Akaashi is in a vulnerable state. He vaguely remembers a time wherein Sugawara was telling him that the best time to strike up a negotiation is when your client is easiest to convince - when his emotions are overtaking his reason. That day, he told Sugawara that taking advantage of those drowning in their emotions should be punishable by seppuku, but now, he has to save the seppuku for later.

"Akaashi-san, why don't we have a deal?" Oikawa tries to make his voice sound as soothing as possible.

At the height of his anger, the prince expects him to simply stab him in the throat. However, he listens. "What is it?"

"If you set me and the commander free, no harm will come to Bokuto-san and we will personally haul all those aliens back in the dungeons. Not a single man with Japanese heritage will remain on this island. You have my word."

He hesitates for a sliver of a moment, but regains his composure and lets Oikawa go. When the prince finds his footing, he gestures for Ukai to release Bokuto, as well. But the pure rage burning in his good eye makes Oikawa somewhat terrified. 

_He's mad about the bargain I just made, isn't he?_


End file.
